Indian coal giant Gautam Adani's Australian mining project cleared another legal hurdle on Monday after the Federal Court threw out a challenge against Carmichael coal mine in Queensland by the Australian Conservation Foundation.
Fairfax reported that the ACF had sought removal of the proposed mega coal mine citing that it was against country’s international obligations to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Adani Australia welcomed Monday's decision and in a statement said that the verdict "again reinforces the stringency of the strict, science and evidence-based federal environmental approval process governing the company's planned mine at Carmichael".
"At their core, these challenges have been about stopping investment and jobs as part of a wider activist campaign against mining," the Indian-based miner said on their Facebook.
Federal minister for resources, Matthew Canavan tweeted saying the decision was "good news for jobs".
The conservation group, however, have vowed to keep their fight on.
"If the Carmichael mine proceeds, its coal will create 4.7 billion tonnes of climate pollution over the proposed life of the mine, wiping out Australia's efforts to reduce pollution and contributing to more frequent and severe bleaching events on the reef," Kelly O'Shanassy, ACF's chief executive, said in a statement to Fairfax.
"It is extraordinary that in 2016 a federal Environment Minister can argue in court that a mega-polluting coal mine will have no impact on the climate and the Great Barrier Reef," she said. "We'll do everything we can to stop this mine."
